PIB Headquarters
Release of Special Cover and Special Cancellation on theme ‘Gandhiji’s first footprint in Tamilnadu
Department of Posts has been organizing various activities to mark the 150th Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The celebrations started with release of a set of seven Circular Postage Stamps on 2nd October 2018. Around 25 countries across the globe have also released Stamps to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
Gandhiji had visited Tamil Nadu many times between 1896 and 1946. His first footprint was set in Tamil Nadu when he visited Chennai during April ’1896. Further, he had visited Tarangambadi , Tiruchirappali , Madurai , Kanniyakumari , Rajapalayam , Tirupur , Coimbatore , Udagamandalam , Salem  and Chennai  as a part of some historic events of his life.
Tamilnadu Postal Circle is pleased to highlight the importance of the historic visits of Gandhiji by releasing the Interlinked Carried Special Covers and Special Cancellations at 11 different places between 26.07.2019 and 02.08.2019, as a part of his 150th anniversary celebrations.
The significance of these Special covers is that they are made of handmade papers and are getting carried to the subsequent places of release by Shri K. Mohan, Chairman, Gandhi Study Centre, Chennai.
The themes, dates and places of release of the Special Covers and Special Cancellations are as below:
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Place of Release of
Special Cover
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Theme
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Date
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Place visited by
Gandhiji during
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Chennai GPO 600001
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Gandhiji’s First Footprint in Tamil Nadu
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26.07.2019
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Apr 1896
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Tarangambadi 609313
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Sharing the Joy of Suffering
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27.07.2019
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Apr 1915
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Tiruchirappalli 620001
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Communal Harmony
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27.07.2019
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Mar 1919
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Madurai 625001
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Identification with Poor - Half-naked fakir
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28.07.2019
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Sep 1921
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Kanniyakumari 629702
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Social Harmony
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29.07.2019
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Mar 1925
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Rajapalayam 626117
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Khadi -Simplicity and Swadeshi
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29.07.2019
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Oct 1927
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Tirupur 641601
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Gandhi and Tirupur Kumaran
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30.07.2019
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Feb 1934
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Coimbatore 641001
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Employment for All
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30.07.2019
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Feb 1934
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Udagamandalam 643001
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Removal of Untouchability
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31.07.2019
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Feb 1934
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Salem 636001
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Women Empowerment
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01.08.2019
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Feb 1934
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Anna Road 600002
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Gandhiji’s Constructive Programme
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02.08.2019
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Feb 1946
The first Special Cover, out of this set, has been released today  to commemorate ‘Gandhiji’s first footprint in Tamilnadu’ by Shri M. Sampath, Chief Post Master General, Tamil Nadu Circle, at Chennai GPO. Shri A. Annamalai, Director, National Gandhi Museum, New Delhi received the same. Smt J. Charukesi and Shri R. Anand, Postmasters General were present.
The journey of the carried Special Covers commenced today. On 02.08.2019, after completion of the journey, an Interlinked Carried Special Cover pack on theme ‘Gandhiji’s visit to Tamilnadu’ will be released which will contain all the 11 Special Covers released at different places on different themes as listed above.
Earlier this year, a grand State level Philatelic Exhibition was organized by Tamilnadu Postal Circle at Pondicherry from 1st to 3rd Feb 2019 to pay a philatelic tribute to Mahatma. 200 philatelic frames with more than 13,000 stamps and 3000 First Day Covers issued by India and other nations across the globe on single theme ‘Mahatma Gandhi’ were on display at the Exhibition.
This is stated in the press release issued by the Postmaster General, Chennai City Region.